A mother's first race

Ramabai Ranvir, a 47-year-old widow from Potra village in Hingoli district, had never run a race in her life. Working as a cook at Dnyandeep Academy, a police and paramilitary recruit training institute in Ambajogai, Beed district, she earns about ₹9,000 a month. Her job involves making over 200 chapatis daily for aspirants at the academy.

On August 28, her younger daughter Arti, 20, called from Nanded, where she lives alone while studying for a BSc in Computer Science, asking for money for food and rent. Ramabai had no spare cash and spent a sleepless night worrying. The next morning, she heard trainers gathering police aspirants for a running competition nearby. She did not know the distance but understood the prize was ₹3,000 — money that could help send to Arti and support her daughters' education.

The barefoot run

Ramabai joined the group of aspirants heading to the event, despite having no training. She was the only participant without shoes. She began the 3km race in her sari and slippers, but when her slippers gave way midway, she continued barefoot.

"I ran like my life depended on it when the flag was raised," she told The Times of India. "At some point, I took off my slippers and ran barefoot because I was slipping. I don't know how much time it took for me to cover the distance. I only stopped at the finish line."

She won the race and received ₹5,000 instead of the expected ₹3,000. "I am so happy they gave me ₹5,000 instead of ₹3,000," she said, as quoted by The Economic Times. "I bought notebooks and pens for my daughter Pooja. The remaining money is for Arti."

Family and support

Ramabai's husband died in 2012, leaving her to support their two daughters. She studied only until Class 7 and worked as a daily wage labourer in her village before finding the cook's job last year, when her elder daughter Pooja, 22, enrolled at the academy for police recruitment training. Pooja also competed in the event and finished second in the 18–30 age category, winning ₹2,000.

Arti, speaking to The Times of India, said she was "dumbstruck" when Pooja called to tell her their mother had won. She described the moment as emotional.

Datta Darade, who heads Dnyandeep Academy, said Ramabai's decision surprised him, and The Times of India reported that her story moved him. He enrolled her daughter free of cost and gave Ramabai work as a cook and a room at the academy. Ramabai sends Arti ₹5,000–7,000 per month for her studies, according to her account in The Times of India.

Organisers and aftermath

The contest was organised by Bharat Shikshan Prasarak Mandal in Ambajogai to celebrate its 75th anniversary. Deepak Phulari, principal in charge of Kholeshwar College, told The Times of India he believes Ramabai covered the distance in about half an hour. After the run, Ramabai returned to the academy by 10am and resumed work.

Ramabai also spoke about a long-standing difficulty: she said her husband died 14 years ago and she has been unable to obtain his death certificate despite visiting hospitals and government offices. She said she needs help with these documents to apply for educational concessions for her daughters.